diff --git a/fs/configfs/symlink.c b/fs/configfs/symlink.c
index ec5c8325b503d1..0525ebc3aea210 100644
--- a/fs/configfs/symlink.c
+++ b/fs/configfs/symlink.c
@@ -83,14 +83,13 @@ static int create_link(struct config_item *parent_item,
 	ret = -ENOMEM;
 	sl = kmalloc(sizeof(struct configfs_symlink), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (sl) {
-		sl->sl_target = config_item_get(item);
 		spin_lock(&configfs_dirent_lock);
 		if (target_sd->s_type & CONFIGFS_USET_DROPPING) {
 			spin_unlock(&configfs_dirent_lock);
-			config_item_put(item);
 			kfree(sl);
 			return -ENOENT;
 		}
+		sl->sl_target = config_item_get(item);
 		list_add(&sl->sl_list, &target_sd->s_links);
 		spin_unlock(&configfs_dirent_lock);
 		ret = configfs_create_link(sl, parent_item->ci_dentry,